Cork City Council is set to make history by becoming the first authority to fight in the High Court both the Government and the Department of the Environment for its continued existence.

Councillors indicated the city council will now write to both Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Environment Minister Alan Kelly outlining their fury at what they slated as "a deeply flawed merger plan".

The city council will hold a special meeting next Monday night to outline a judicial review challenge to proposals to merge the historic authority with Cork County Council.

The merger would create a €440m 'super council' and it would be the most powerful local authority in Ireland alongside Dublin City Council.

The threat of High Court action came despite business consultant Alf Smiddy, who chaired the Local Government Review committee which recommended the merger of both councils, pleading for people to consider the long-term best interest of Cork.

Mr Smiddy is also seeking individual briefings with political and business leaders in Cork to explain the report and its proposals.

He stressed it was vital to dispel "misinformed" claims about the study.